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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23010757">Life ain't always beautiful</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosalina2124/pseuds/rosalina2124'>rosalina2124</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>New Kids On The Block</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 10:35:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,717</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23010757</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosalina2124/pseuds/rosalina2124</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Joey gets sick will everyone be there for him when he needs them the most????Life ain't always beautiful<br/>Sometimes it's just plain hard<br/>Life can knock you down<br/>It can break your heart.<br/>Life ain't always beautiful<br/>You think you're on your way<br/>And it's just a dead end road<br/>At the end of the day.<br/>But the struggles make you stronger<br/>And the changes make you wise<br/>And happiness has it's own way<br/>Of taking it's own sweet time.<br/>No, life ain't always beautiful<br/>Tears will fall sometimes<br/>Life ain't always beautiful<br/>But it's a beautiful ride.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 1<br/>The feeling of a cool hand rubbing my back causes me to take in a breath as I realize it’s just Jon and I try to relax. I’m the last place I want to be right now,in a cramped stall,puking my guts out,and he’s comforting me,like he would do for Jord. I haven’t been feeling that great all day,but I’ve been powering on,keeping it hidden,there’s too much stuff to do,but it got too much a little bit ago. We’ve been at rehearsal,and I just got that feeling,that I was going to puke,and I needed to get out of there. I guess I had the look,because Jon checked on me quietly,and after I said I was feeling sick to my stomach,he got me out of there,away from the others,and into the bathroom,in the nick of time. It’s been several minutes now,and it’s showing no signs of stopping,which sucks big time. “Easy kid,it’s alright Joey,I got you”he murmurs quietly,carding a hand through my hair. </p><p>I finally finish,and I find myself leaning back against him a little bit,tired and just done. “You done kid”he asks quietly placing a cool hand on my cheek,checking for fever. “I think so Jon,I feel awful”I murmur softly as I let him shift me,so we’re sitting against the wall,and he wraps an arm around me. “I know kid,how long have you been feeling bad Joe”he asks gently, “Since early this morning,I woke up with my stomach hurting,but I just figured it was a stomach ache,and that I’d be fine”I say quietly,embarrassed to admit I’ve kinda hidden how bad I’ve been feeling,it’s force of habit with growing up in a big family,even though I’m the baby and get a little more attention,I don’t like feeling like a burden,so I don’t say anything until it hits the point where I feel bad enough that I need help.</p><p>“Kid,come to me next time if you start feeling bad alright,that way we can get you taken care of sooner,is your stomach hurting now at all”he says as I rest my head against his shoulder,seeking comfort any way I can get it. “A little,it’s sorta dull and throbbing”I say as I feel him card a hand through my hair softly. “Do you mind if I feel your stomach for a minute kid,see what we’ve got going on,then we’ll get you cleaned up alright”he murmurs softly as I sit up a little bit. I nod,too tired to say anything,and I let him lift my shirt a little bit,so he can feel my stomach. He does so,and I do alright until he hits around my belly button,then it hurts somewhat,as I find myself taking in a breath.</p><p>“It’s bad isn’t it”I say quietly,sounding a lot smaller than my 14 years,I’m terrified,I don’t know what’s wrong with me entirely,and I’m worried about it being bad. “I don’t know yet kid,I’m worried that you might be bordering on appendicitis,we’ll just have to keep an eye on you,if the pain moves or gets worse it’ll be time for the ER”he says gently carding a hand through my hair. “OK,I think I’m done”I murmur softly, “alright kid,let’s get you cleaned up,then we’ll try to get back to the hotel alright,you need to rest”he murmurs as he gets up,then I let him pull me to my feet. He wraps an arm around my waist,and we head out of the stall,and to the sinks. About this point the door opens,and someone comes in,Danny,I know he’s just checking in,seeing what’s going on.</p><p>“You guys doing alright”he asks quietly as I see him reach and turn the sink on,keeping a hand on my back to hold me steady. “We’re hanging in there,he’s not feeling so hot,I think we need to get him back to the hotel,let him rest,we’ll need to watch him,I’m sorta worried that he might be bordering on appendicitis,I felt his stomach a bit ago and the pain was near his lower stomach”he murmurs softly as I see him hand him a paper towel,and he dampens it with water. Then he helps me wipe my face,getting rid of the traces of sickness,then I bend down and drink a bit of water,rinsing my mouth out. “OK,I’ll see what we can do about getting out of here,we’ll keep an eye on him,if we need to go to the ER we do”he murmurs softly as I feel him press a cool hand to my cheek,like Jon was doing earlier,checking my fever. “I don’t want to go to the ER”I murmur softly,scared,I hate going to the hospital,it’s scary and unknown,strange people,being poked and prodded.</p><p>“I know kid,we’re just putting it out there for now,we’re not saying you’ll have to go for sure yet,we’ll have to wait and see,if we do go I’ll stay with you all the way alright,you trust me”he says squeezing my shoulder. “I trust you”I murmur softly, “Good,you ready to go back out there”he says gently, “I I think so”I say as I let him wrap an arm around me. Danny comes around my other side,and we walk out together,go back into the room,and they help me settle on the couch. He sits beside me,and I find myself leaning against him,seeking comfort. I feel him run his fingers through my curls,comforting like he does for Jord as I watch Danny leave to go find Maurice. “Just close your eyes kid,I’ll wake you when it’s time to go”he says,knowing I’m tired and that I’m fighting it. I feel someone put a blanket over me,Donnie,and he sits on my other side. “How is he holding up”he asks quietly as I feel him squeeze my knee gently.</p><p>“He’s hanging in there,he’s not feeling so hot,Danny went to go talk to Maurice,we need to get him back to the hotel and resting,we need to watch him for appendicitis,I felt his stomach a little bit ago,and where it hurts has me concerned”he says quietly,trying to not disturb me,I’m half way between awake and asleep,sorta listening to their conversation. “We’ll watch him Jon”he say quietly as I let him help me move to where I’m laying down a bit more,head in his lap,it doesn’t really matter at this point,I know he’s used to it. Before I know it I’m out like a light,the last thoughts on my mind being if I’ll be alright,if I’ll get through this,and whether or not I’ll have to go to the ER,I hope I don’t,but I know it’s possible.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter two<br/>The feeling of a cool hand carding through my hair causes me to stir as I realize it’s just Jon and I relax,he’s just checking on me. We made it back to the hotel awhile ago,and they got me settled,temperature taken,showered and into bed. He gave medicine earlier,the nasty pink stuff,but it hasn’t helped all that much. I’m still uncomfortable,if anything it’s gotten worse,and he knows that. The only position that has been comfortable has been on my side,with my knees to my chest,it helps a little bit. “Shh,it’s just me Joe,it feels like your fever’s gone up kid,I want to get a temp on you,if it’s up we’ll need to go to the ER”he says softly placing a cool hand against my cheek,seeing how warm I am. “Ok,it really hurts now,it’s worse than before Jon”I murmur wincing in pain,I’ve never felt pain like this in my life,it hurts bad,and it sucks.</p><p>“I know kid,I know,we’ll get you taken care of I promise”he says softly as I let him slip a thermometer in my mouth. It beeps after a few minutes,and the damage is done,the screen reads 102,between that and the pain,something serious is going on, and we need to get me taken care of. I know they made arrangements earlier,just in case I needed to go,and it’s a go now. “It’s definitely ER time kid,I’ll be with you all the way alright,do you think you can sit up for me”he says gently carding a hand through my hair,knowing this will be hard. “I think so,where’s Danny”I ask softly,realizing for the first time it’s just me and him,Danny isn’t here. “He went to go talk to Maurice,get things ready to go”he says quietly as I let him help me sit up. After the effort of sitting up,I don’t even know that I can stand,which means if I can’t,he’ll have to carry me,luckily I’m small enough still that he can if we need to.</p><p>“OK,I don’t know that I can stand Jon,it really hurts”I murmur,sounding younger than I usually do,I’m scared and in pain,and everything is happening so fast. “OK kid,I can carry you that’s not a problem,Danny should be back any minute and It’ll be time to go,I know your scared kid,it’ll be alright I promise”he says softly letting me lean against him,I’m so tired and done at this point,I just need comfort,reassurance that I’ll be alright. We stay like this for awhile,then Danny comes back,and it’s time,for better or for worse. “You guys ready”he asks gently as I let him card a hand through my hair,checking my fever like Jon was doing earlier. “I think so”he says softly as I nod,too tired to say anything at this point,I’m ready to get it over with. I let him put my shoes on,then he stands,then picks me up. I tolerate it,it hurts a little bit,being jostled,he’s trying to be gentle,but it’s going ot hurt no matter what. “Shh I know kid”he says gently,comforting. I watch as I see Danny grab a duffel bag,which I’m sure has overnight stuff,lest we get stuck in the ER overnight,then it’s time.</p><p>We head out,and there’s a car waiting for us,ready to go. We get inside,he settles me in the seat beside him,then Danny gets on my other side,then we take off. Before I know it we’re at the ER,and it’s time to go in as much as I don’t want to. “It’s time kid,I know your scared,but we’re with you all the way Joe”he says gently as I feel Danny squeeze my knee in reassurance. “OK,I think I’m ready”I say quietly,as much as I don’t want to be here,I’m ready to get this over with at the same time. He gets out of the car first,then he picks me up again,and we head inside. We go over to the waiting area,and he sits me down,and I automatically bring my knees to my chest,partially because of the pain,partially to make me feel more secure. He sits beside me,then Danny goes to the nurses station,to let them know what’s going on. He’s gone for awhile,then he eventually comes back with a nurse in tow. She crouches down beside me to be at my level,then very gently takes my wrist in her hand,checking my pulse.</p><p>“Hey there,I’m nurse Julia,we’re going to take good care of you tonight Joey,can you tell me what’s going on with you sweetheart”she asks softly. “My stomach just really hurts,It started this morning but I just thought it was an upset stomach,but it started getting worse this afternoon”I say timidly,I’m feeling kind of shy and scared,which is normal. “OK honey,I want to get you into a wheelchair here and get you back,get you looked at if that’s alright”she says gingerly. I nod and I let her and Jon move me to the wheelchair,which hurts a lot,it hurts to sit flat,but I tolerate it. We head back,he’s allowed to go with me but Danny has to stay for the moment,due to lack of room,she’ll let him back in a little bit. We get to the exam room,and they lift me onto the bed and it’s too much,that all too familiar sick feeling reemerges in the pit of my stomach. “I think I’m going to be sick”I say quietly,embarrassed,I don’t want to puke in front of her,Jon it’s different,but a stranger it’s hard. “Alright honey,we got you”she murmurs softly grabbing a bedpan,and just in the nick of time. I puke into the bedpan as I feel him rub my back,talking to me softly,as she holds it in front of me. I eventually finish,and she lets me rinse out my mouth,laying the bedpan on the counter for the moment. Then it’s time to get me into a gown,which will be uncomfortable but it needs to be done. </p><p>I let them get me changed,they leave my socks on for my comfort,then I let them lay me back on the bed. I end up on my side automatically and she let’s me for the moment. She gets my vitals,the usual stuff,as she talks to Jon,trying to get a little bit more information on what’s going on with me,since I’m too tired to do it myself right now. She get’s my temperature last,and she notes what it is,102,a little high but not as high as it could be. “Alright honey,I need to feel your stomach,then I  want to get you on an IV,get you on fluids while we wait for the doctor”she says softly, “OK”I say quietly,knowing I need to do this. I let them get me on my back,it hurts,but I tolerate it,then she lifts the gown and starts feeling my stomach. I feel him rub my hand as she does what she needs to do,I do alright until she gets to my lower right side,when she lets go the pain is through the roof. “I got you kid,I know it hurts,just breathe”he murmurs softly as I squeeze his hand,trying to ground myself.It lets up before I know it,then it’s time for the iv. He semiholds me for that part,he knows how I feel about needles,and that I need comfort to get through it. Then she’s done for the moment,throwing away her supplies, “I’ll be back as soon as I can with a doctor alright,get some confirmation about what’s going on,try to get some sleep honey”she says softly,squeezing my knee. </p><p>She leaves,then it’s just me and him,in the quietness of the night,as quiet as it’ll get in the ER anyways. He sits beside me on the bed,letting my lay against him,mindful of the IV. “Get some sleep kid,I’ll wake you when the doctor is here Joe”he says running his fingers through my hair lightly as I see him grab the remote,turning the TV on to some news program,leaving it on low. “OK,i’ll try”I murmur softly,tired,out of it. Before I know it I’m out,last thoughts on my mind being what will happen next,and how I’ll get through it.</p>
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